A 32 year old man will appear in Newcastle Court this morning after a major police operation at Hamilton North.
About two o’clock on Wednesday afternoon, police descended on a home at Hamilton North as part of inquiries into an alleged carjacking and pursuit at Charlestown Square earlier this week.
On Monday, police were called to the shopping centre carpark, following reports a man had allegedly threatened three people with a firearm before stealing their vehicle.
Officers arrived and conducted a search of the area, however, were unable to locate the vehicle. A crime scene was established and and an investigation launched into the incident.
Their inquiries led them to an address on Emerald Street around 2pm yesterday, where a man allegedly aimed a firearm at police prompting the assistance of the Tactical Operations Unit and warnings for residents to remain inside their homes.
Around 5pm authorities were finally able to place the man under arrest and take him into custody, bringing the three hour operation to an end.
The 32-year-old was conveyed to hospital in a stable condition.
Meantime, a search warrant was executed on a home where items believed to be illicit substances were located. They have been sent of for further forensic examination.
The 32-year-old man was later taken to Waratah Police Station where he was charged with a raft of serious offences, including:
- Acquire prohibited firearm subject prohibition order
- Acquire unregistered firearm prohibited firearm
- Possess loaded firearm public place
- Not keep firearm safely prohibited firearm
- Armed with intention to commit indictable offence
- Police pursuit not stop drive recklessly
- Threaten injury to person with intention to prevent lawful detention
- Possess unregistered unauthorised pistol in public place
- Not keep firearm safely pistol
- Robbery while armed with dangerous weapon
- Acquire pistol subject to firearms prohibition order
- Possess ammunition without holding license/permit/authority
- Acquire ammunition subject to prohibition order
- Goods in personal custody suspected being stolen
Police will also allege in court the man threatened another man in Edgeworth with a firearm before fleeing the scene.